Walt Disney Co. has done a remarkable job observing important anniversaries and celebrations in recent years.
In earlier years, anniversary celebrations at Disneyland were fairly low key, marked usually with television specials for the 10th anniversary in 1965, 25th anniversary in 1980, 30th anniversary in 1985 and 35th anniversary in 1990.
For Disneyland's 40th anniversary on July 17, 1995, the park buried a time capsule, had a sing-along at the Matterhorn and had some other special activities, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time.
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However, Disneyland hosted a long, spectacular 50th Anniversary Celebration to observe its opening on July 17, 1955, that lasted from May 5, 2005 until Sept. 30, 2006 and was called "The Happiest Celebration on Earth." Ten years later, Disneyland celebrated it's 60th Diamond Anniversary from May 22, 2015 to Sept. 5, 2016.
Disneyland Paris, which opened April 12, 1992, began its 30th anniversary celebration on March 6, 2022, and will wrap up the party on Sept. 30, 2023.
Disney World has not been left out of the party as it on Oct. 1, 1981, launched its Tencennial Celebration, and on Oct. 1, 1991, began its 20th anniversary celebration that lasted 15 months. But Disney World's Magic Kingdom went all out for the 25th Anniversary celebration starting Oct. 1, 1996, and lasting until Jan. 31, 1998, as it decorated Cinderella's Castle like a huge pink birthday cake with candles, Life Savers and gum drops.
Disney World 50th Anniversary Wrapping Up
The clock is ticking toward the end of one of the company's biggest parties, Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration, which began on Oct. 1, 2021, to observe the opening of Florida's first Disney park, Magic Kingdom, on Oct. 1, 1971. The final day of the celebration is March 30.
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This time, Magic Kingdom decorated Cinderella's Castle with the towers wrapped in gold ribbon, and a huge medallion sign with a gold number 50 above the entrance of the castle.
Disney World's Animal Kingdom, which opened April 22, 1998, will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, 2023, with sweet and savory treats, specialty merchandise and limited-time character sightings. The park will also for the first time feature popular character Moana at Discovery Island to greet guests beginning on April 22. Disney promises more surprises to be revealed at a later date.
Disney100 Platinum Celebration Starts
The Disneyland Resort on Jan. 27, 2023, kicked off Disney100 Platinum Celebration to observe the 100-year anniversary of the Walt Disney Co.'s (DIS) founding, which lasts all year. Disneyland presents its Wondrous Journeys nighttime spectacular, while California Adventure features its World of Color - One nighttime extravaganza at Paradise Gardens Park.
Disney World plans to join in the Disney100 Celebration later this year at Epcot with Spaceship Earth illuminating evenings with a special lighting design, a special platinum sculpture of Walt Disney and meet and greets with Mickey and Minnie in special platinum attire.
Epcot will also host a new nighttime spectacular around the World Showcase Lagoon with a dazzling display of fireworks, lasers, music and light. The soundtrack for the event will feature an original composition along with select songs from the Disney songbook.
